Amalgamated Bank Applauds Court Decision on NYC Municipal ID Program

NEW YORK – Today, Judge Philip G. Minardo of the New York State Supreme Court in Richmond County ruled the City of New York is not required to maintain personal information related to its municipal identification program. In response, Keith Mestrich, President and CEO of Amalgamated Bank, issued the following statement:

“This lawsuit, and the destructive policies behind it, are nothing more than an attempted attack on our city’s most vulnerable families. This decision is a clear rebuttal of false claims made by opponents of the municipal ID program and marks an important victory for all New Yorkers who deserve to live out of the shadows. The municipal ID program stands as a shining example of how we can uplift underserved communities, and we hope this decision emboldens other cities and states across the country to follow suit.

“Amalgamated Bank is proud to have opened more bank accounts with municipal ID holders than any other bank in New York City, and we applaud Mayor de Blasio on his leadership and commitment to protecting all New Yorkers.”

In January 2016, Amalgamated Bank filed a brief defending New York City’s intent to not maintain documents associated with municipal ID applications.

About Amalgamated Bank

For nearly a century, Amalgamated Bank has been the most trusted financial institution for progressive people and organizations. By helping those who do good do better, we work to help make the world more just, compassionate and sustainable. Our extensive experience, financial resources and community of like-minded customers offers labor unions, philanthropies, political campaigns, socially and environmentally responsible corporations, as well as individuals, a unique set of financial services enabling them to lead the charge to improve our communities and our country.